1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a continuous mining machine and more particularly to a mining machine having a cutter drum member rotatably supported by a boom member that includes a pair of housings that enclose the openings between sections of the drum member and are operable to dislodge the material not dislodged by the drum member sections so that a single kerf is dislodged from the mine face along the entire length of the drum member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Continuous mining machines with transverse cutting elements positioned in front of the mining machine are known as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,695,164 and 3,310,347. These machines include a pair of boom members extending forwardly from the mining machine frame with disc-like rotatable dislodging elements mounted thereon. The dislodging elements are arranged to rotate and move transversely while dislodging material from the mine face.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,721,733; 3,109,636 and 3,305,273 disclose mining machines having a full face drum that is arranged to dislodge material from the mine face without transverse oscillating movement. As illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,305,273, the support means and drive means for the drum include fixed portions of the drum member extending around the drum. Endless chain elements are required to extend over the fixed housing to dislodge the material from the mine face within the width of the fixed housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,109,636 utilizes a boom member having arm portions that extend forwardly and have bearing supports that rotatably support the drum member. Drive shafts extend along the drum member arm portions into the inner portion of the drum to rotate the drum. The bearing supports on the front end of the boom member cannot rotate with the drum member and do not dislodge material from the face along the width of the bearing supports.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,721,733 sprocket members are provided along the end of the drum. Endless drive chains are connected to the sprockets and rotate the drum. Cutter bits extend outwardly from the chains to dislodge the material along the width of the chains.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,969 discloses a drum member having a pair of axially aligned intermediate sections and a pair of end sections arranged in non-parallel relation with the intermediate sections and extending forwardly relative thereto. Along the front portion of the drum member, the end section inner edge portions are positioned closely adjacent to the outer edge portions of the intermediate sections so that the cutting elements extending therefrom overlap to provide a continuous cutting pattern along the drum member front portion. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,384 clearance for the drive shaft that rotates the cutter drum is provided by cutting elements that overlap along the front of the drum.
There is need for a full face drum-type mining machine that has a continuous longitudinal cutting pattern along the length of the drum member without auxiliary cutting devices extending around fixed bearing supports of the boom member or without overlapping cutting elements of the drum member.